Gaming up deals with Boodle-UP

PORTLAND (NEWS CENTER) -- Are you an online bargain hunter, subscribed to deal sites such as Deal Chicken and Groupon? Well, there's a new game in town.

And it is actually a game! It's a great new way to find deals and freebies in the greater Portland area. You can play on your computer, iPad, iPhone or Android based phone.

The clientele at Bam Bam Bakery on Commercial Street has been steadily growing, thanks in part to Boodle-UP.

"A lot of people who didn't know we were here until they saw us on Boodle-UP, and looked a little bit more into it. And who doesn't want a free bagel in the morning, y'know? You can't go too far wrong with that!" says Bevin McNulty of Bam Bam Bakery.

The game is the brain-child of Bob Bruce and Colin and Kate Snyder. It's been live, as they say, since the first of the year.

Kate Snyder explains it, "Boodle is a wod that means treasure or booty, sort of a prize. So we came up with that name because what we're really all about is exposing people to a treasure chest of great promotional offers from local businesses."

There are two games to play, Tic-Tac-Toe or a matching game. They're pretty simple and it's fairly easy to win. The hitch comes when you do win. You have to decide if you want the prize or not. To earn earn the prize, you have to be willing to be locked out of the game.

You might win a burger from Gritty's and if you want to take that burger, you have to accept the lockout period. Or you can skip it and see what otherprizes might come up. Unlike Deal Chicken, Groupon or Living Social, you're not paying to purchase a discount. Many of the prizes are just plain freebies.

The prizes change daily and right now it's just targeting the greater Portland area, but there's enough buzz that the game's creators are looking into taking it national. And if you take a prize and accept the lockout period, which can run anywhere from 1 to 15 days, you can still play the games, you just can't win any prizes.

To start playing on Boodle-UP on your computer, click here. Or you can download it from the App Store.